Power Rangers: Game Masters
by Zypker124
Summary: The year is 2020. The eSports industry has soared in popularity, and virtual reality has been taken to new heights. NextNet World is a virtual reality gaming hub packaged with four primary video games. When the protagonists from each of these four games enters the real world, they find the most cataclysmic game of all: the battle between the virtual world and the real world.
1. Author's Notes

**:-:-:-:-:** **GAME MASTERS :-:-:-:-:**

Hello, everyone!

My name is Zypker124, and as you might have already assumed, I am the author of the adventure fan fiction, Power Rangers: Game Masters. Before you start reading, there are a few things I'd like to clarify:

\- The setting for Power Rangers: Game Masters is in Cytrix City, a high-tech city located somewhere in the US. The year is 2020, and virtual reality technology has been advanced to the point where users can transfer their consciousness to a virtual reality world. I know saying that happens by 2020 is unrealistic, but I want to keep this story as close to the present day as possible.

\- Many of the motifs from this series are inspired by Kamen Rider Ex-Aid; not only is the gaming theme incorporated, but the transformation sequences are almost identical; the same styled drivers and cartridges are used, as well as the same formatted transformations. The battle sequences will also be remarkably similar to those found in Ex-Aid.

\- This is a more realistic take on Power Rangers. There will be no megazords, no squadrons of enemy soldiers, no team role calls, etc.

\- Flashbacks will be used regularly for character development.

\- This story takes place in a world where all the previous PR series are canon (including some from this site). Therefore, there will be lots of guest stars making appearances throughout the series.

\- As mentioned in the beginning of the first chapter, it is assumed the eSports industry has boomed to become one of the biggest industries in the world. For those who don't know, eSports is essentially professional video gaming, where players compete in video games for huge pool prizes. eSports gamers often make money through sponsorships, advertisements, and tournament winnings.

\- The virtual reality video game technology will be similar to SAO: the player's mind and consciousness is transferred to the game once the player puts a headset on.

\- Originally, I had another fan fiction on this site, titled Power Rangers: Elemental Warriors. The premise was that after a government experiment gone wrong, five people are equipped with the powers to harness the natural elements of fire, flowers, earth, water, and air. Out of fear that their powers combined could cause astronomical damage to the world, the government abandoned the project and separated the five people. When the last surviving scientist of the experiment mysteriously disappears, the five of them are reunited in the hopes of finding the answers to their questions. Due to a lack of a foreseeable plot, however, I abandoned the story. Many elements of Elemental Warriors, however, has been incorporated into Game Masters.

\- Originally, this story had 15 "main" characters. After much consideration, however, I decided that 15 was too many to juggle and that it would be difficult for the reader to keep track of all of them. In addition, I wanted to set aside time to flesh out characters more and give them more depth, for quality over quantity. So I cut a bunch of characters from the story, reducing the cast to a (hopefully) digestible 10 character cast.

\- Each episode will be split into multiple chapters, as I feel like it would be unbecoming to demand the reader to digest an entire episode of considerable length without the use of checkpoints.

\- My episode writing will be very sluggish, as my schoolwork is the absolute first priority.

\- Swearing in the story will be rare to nonexistent, as I am not a proponent of swearing in any situation and refuse to advocate for such vulgar language, even at the expense of developing a character further.

That's it for now. I hope you enjoy my story!

\- Zypker124


	2. Character List

**Character List:**

Character list can be found at imgur, by putting the following in the URL with the domain: /7HAHDDo

 **Jacob**

Color: Red

Game: Formula Racing

Catchphrase: "Finishing at mach speed! Formula Racing! Ranger Red!"

Personality: Comic Book Fan, Daring, Adventurous, Persistent, Determined, Awesome, Extreme Bike & Motorcycle Rider, Parkour, Freerunner

Actor: Tom Holland [known for his role as Peter Parker in the upcoming Spiderman: Homecoming]

 **Phoebe**

Color: Pink

Game: Pop Idol Life

Catchphrase: "The worldwide sensation! Pop Idol Life! Ranger Pink!"

Personality: Trending, Shopper, Fashionista, Artistic, Musical, Blog Writer, Singer, Dancer, Popular, Romantic

Actress: Yuumi Shida [known for her role as Mai Takatsukasa in Kamen Rider Gaim]

 **Serena**

Color: Blue

Game: Lost Adventures

Catchphrase: "Exploring new frontiers! Lost Adventures! Ranger Blue!"

Personality: Nature Lover, Photographer, Hiker, Biker, Swimmer, Kind, Nice, Optimistic, Caring, Charity Worker

Actress: Kim So Hyun [known for her roles as Lee Eun Bi / Go Eun Byul in Who Are You: School 2015 and Kim Hyun Ji in Let's Fight Ghost]

 **Kai**

Color: Green

Game: Ninja Kingdom

Catchphrase: "The land of swordmasters! Ninja Kingdom! Ranger Green!"

Personality: Swordmaster, Weaponmaster, Collected, Coolheaded, Calm, Instinctive, Individualistic, Tactical, Strategic, Commander

Actor: Akihisa Shiono [known for his role as Souji Rippukan in Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger]

* * *

 **Brenda**

Game: Field of Fire

Personality: Cold, Distant, Introverted, Shy, Nerd, Straight A Student, Hardworking, Hacker, Technological

Actress: Olivia Holt [known for her roles as Kim in Kickin' It, Skylar in Girl vs Monster, and Lindy in I Didn't Do It]

 **Taj**

Personality: Class President, Studious, Emotionless, Cold, Calculating, Strategic

Actor: Karan Brar [known for his roles as Chirag in Diary Of A Wimpy Kid, and Ravi in Jessie and Bunk'd]

 **Arya**

Personality: Deceitful, Manipulative, Persuasive, Cunning, "Mean girl"

Actress: Madison McLaughlin [known for her role as Evelyn in Arrow]

 **Drake**

Personality: Game-lover, Fun-lover, Adventurous, Daring, Excited, Happy, Childlike, Wildcard

Actor: Cameron Boyce [known for his role as Luke in Jessie and Conor in Gamer's Guide To Pretty Much Everything]

 **Jason**

Personality: Welcoming, Caring, Sharing, Considerate, Optimistic, Brenda's neighbor

Actor: Colin Ford [known for his role as Dylan in We Bought A Zoo]

 **Mr. Thorn**

Teacher at Skywings High School

Personality: Enthusiastic, Invigorated, Investigative, Insightful, Mysterious

Actor: Nic Sampson


	3. Game Start - Part 1

Character list can be found at imgur, by putting the following in the URL with the domain: /7HAHDDo

 **:-:-:-:-:** **GAME MASTERS :-:-:-:-:**

The year is 2020. Virtual reality has become integrated seamlessly into competitive gaming. With millions of players participating in national tournaments, eyeing to become the grand champion, the eSports community has exploded into becoming one of the most prominent industries in the world. Thousands of fans pile up in stadiums, eager to spectate the fierce competitions between elite players. Those who win championships become legends, with their names and faces appearing on billboards and advertisements everywhere.

No company has achieved greater success in the virtual reality industry then NextNet Industries. NextNet first made international headlines when they released Field of Fire, a virtual reality FPS game that quickly boomed to become the most popular eSports game in the entire world. The objective of Field of Fire is simple; there are two teams of five players each. Each player has a health bar; when a player gets shot by someone from the enemy team, his/her health bar will decrease. Once your health bar is zero, you're out of the game. The team with the last player(s) standing wins.

NextNet Industries enjoyed even more success when they announced their next product; NextNet World. NextNet World is a virtual reality world where players have access to four different games: Formula Racing, Pop Idol Life, Lost Adventures, and Ninja Kingdom. Each game offers something fresh and unique, diversifying the options a player has when playing inside NextNet World.

Formula Racing is a racing game where players race each other in high-speed races across a variety of tracks, with the aim of getting first place. The players play as Jacob, an eccentric and adventurous teenager who aims to become the best racer there ever was.

Pop Idol Life is a life simulation game where players test their musical prowess and build their status as pop idols. The players play as Phoebe, a musical prodigy and artistic fashionista who aspires to become one of the most famous singers the world has ever known.

Lost Adventures is an exploration game where players explore the world and discover not only the natural beauties of the planet, but also themselves. The players play as Serena, a kind and optimistic photographer who has no memories or recollections of her past, and hopes to find the answers to her many questions.

Ninja Kingdom is a sword-fighting game where players duel and spar in sword battles to see who is the "Ultimate Ninja". The players play as Kai, a cool-headed and individualistic outcast who was banished from the kingdom after being framed for a crime, and seeks to properly restore glory back to his family heritage.

NextNet World was able to appeal to a variety of audiences, from casual to competitive; this boosted revenue as well as NextNet Industries' status within the eSports community, catapulting them to international fame. When Field of Fire was fully implemented as a NextNet World game, NextNet World garnered even more attention.

Boasting Field of Fire and NextNet World, NextNet Industries is the undisputed greatest video game producing industry to have ever existed.

Just like games, however, nothing lasts forever. Though many players have had reigns of god-like performance, they, too, eventually lose their momentum. No matter how replayable a game is, it will eventually lose its luster. Everything rises and falls, and games are no exception. And this time, a new story will be created; new heroes and villains will rise. Every game has its own story, and ours is no exception. Our story starts with a 17 year old girl named Brenda…..

 **:-:-:-:-:** **GAME MASTERS :-:-:-:-:**

It was just a game. Or at least, it used to be for Brenda.

It didn't seem like it was going to be an exhilarating week at first. Brenda had already taken all her high school final exams for the semester, and now could focus on playing Field of Fire. _Just one more day of school left, and then it's winter break. I'll finally be free….._

Brenda drove back to her house. Her family's house was rather impressive in scale; it was two stories tall and had the same surface area of a football field. Her parents were co-founders of a world-renowned high-tech corporation, so the mansion was decked with high-performance computers, wide-screen televisions, and other advanced technology. There were a plethora of different video game consoles scattered throughout the mansion, for it wasn't uncommon for Brenda to host local tournaments at her house.

Despite the grandness the house offers, Brenda never felt especially connected to the house. She had no siblings, and her parents often took business trips around the world, seldom having time to see their daughter. Lost in thoughts, Brenda slowly walked up to her room.

Her room was titanic in size. One side was her workplace; bookcases and cabinets lined the wall, stacked with many novels, textbooks, folders, and other supplies. The other side was her gaming hub; a large NextNet desktop was arranged at the corner of the room, with a headset and microphone already plugged in. Adjacent to the desktop was a high-performance NextNet gaming laptop, a few assorted video game controllers, and most striking of all, a cornucopia of trophies and medals stashed in a glass container.

After settling down, Brenda placed the NextNet World headset over her eyes, and turned the headset on. A question etched in bright blue was presented in front of her.

 _Do you wish to enter NextNet World?_

 _Yes / No / Settings_

Brenda selected the "Yes" option, and felt her mind slipping into another state. Within a few seconds, she entered the NextNet World.

 **:-:-:-:-:** **GAME MASTERS :-:-:-:-:**

The NextNet World was quite an astonishing sight.

The NextNet World was a large plaza similar to that of Nintendo Land; it was a large circular area, and on the perimeter, five gates enclosed the plaza. Each gate led to a different game; once players entered the gate, they would enter into the corresponding game. Many players came to congregate in the plaza and casually discuss miscellaneous affairs, from game strategies to recent IRL events to tournament results.

As Brenda walked to the Field of Fire gate, she could discern which bystanders were mentioning her name and pointing at her. One player stopped to talk to her.

"Excuse me," the player asked, "But by any chance, are you Supernova?"

Brenda nodded in an apathetic manner. "Yes, that's me."

"Aren't you the #1 ranked Field of Fire female player of all time?"

"Last time I checked, yes, that's me."

Murmurs rang through the crowd, with people coming to the slow realization of who they were meeting. Within seconds, people crowded around her, eager to meet the #1 ranked Field of Fire female player.

"I saw your performance at Rapidfire Saga. None of them even stood a chance, you completely destroyed them! A well-earned win in my book!"

"That comeback you made at Snipers Showdown 2020 was the hypest thing I think I have ever seen! That was so clutch!"

"I just want to say that you were the main reason I became a Field of Fire player. Seeing a female like you become so dominant in the community was really a big inspiration. I hope you do well moving forward!"

Brenda was bombarded with many compliments before she rose her hand, silencing the crowd around her. In a calm and collected voice, she said, "Thank you all. It is truly a pleasure to see so many fans. However, if you'll excuse me, I have some matches to be attending to."

The crowd was silence as Brenda left the group and walked toward the gate, but once again discussion rose. "Wow, Supernova is definitely a level-headed player. It's amazing how much resilience and confidence she can project."

"I know, right? If only I knew her IRL. I bet she's this awesome in real life too."

That was the last thing Brenda heard before entering the gate. She sighed. _None of them know how I really am outside the gaming room….._

 **:-:-:-:-:** **GAME MASTERS :-:-:-:-:**

"Alright, listen up," Brenda said in a confident manner to her teammates. "Today we'll be going up against Snipers Underground. It'll be a standard 5v5 match, last man standing mode."

"Snipers Underground? I've never heard of them," one of Brenda's teammates said.

"That's because they're relatively new to the scene. I believe they only formed a few weeks ago, but from what I heard, they improved at godlike speeds, so this squad is nothing to sneeze at," another one of her teammates replied.

"I've reviewed their matches against other teams a couple of times, and I've noticed their extremely defensive and tactical playstyle. They prefer to remain in the backdrop and wait for other players to approach them, which contrasts the aggressive and offensive approaches most other teams employ," Brenda said. "We won't be able to utilize the same tactics we usually employ."

Her other four teammates nodded in response. Her teammates, much like Brenda herself, were very studious and tactical, analyzing teams' previous playstyles to develop counterattack strategies. This time, however, they were up against a new team, and there were few matches they could go off of to analyze, rendering their job more difficult.

"Alright, here's the plan," Beenda finally said, eyeing her four teammates with a focused demeanor. "The five of us split off, and…"

 **:-:-:-:-:** **GAME MASTERS :-:-:-:-:**

The match could have lasted ages if it weren't for the slip-ups.

Brenda was (once again) the last player standing from her team. Both teams employed a "divide and conquer" strategy, playing extremely defensive as they carefully treaded the map, quietly scouting out the enemy team. For thirty minutes, both teams were unsuccessful in depleting anyone's health bars.

Then the mistakes began to set in. One player from Brenda's team was sniped after accidentally turning the wrong way, exposing herself to a nearby bridge where a sniper from Snipers Underground caught him, causing Brenda's team to be down in numbers by 4-5. Another player from Brenda's team attempted an ambush on a sniper, and did so successfully, but was caught by another enemy gunner and was killed, lowering the numbers to 3-4, in Snipers Underground's favor.

One player from each team met on an open and long bridge, and began a sniping duel. Both players called for backup, and fired at each other. A trade-off ensued, with the four players engaged in the duel taking each other out, leaving the numbers 1-2. Brenda was the only player on her team left, and 2 players from Snipers Underground still remained.

Brenda slowly walked over to the ghost town section of the arena. Based on the times and places of the previous kills, Brenda deduced that the two remaining players were cooped up in the ghost town. She carried her sniper gun close to her chest, silently scouting out the arena.

The ghost town was dead silent, but Brenda still continued along. She was walking down an open, straight road, which she knew was risky. On the road, there were some worn down cars. Empty, rusty buildings lined the sides of the road.

A haystack rolled across the other side of the road. Brenda immediately took cover behind a building on the side as a gunner on the other side of the ghost town fired at her, also retreating behind a car. They took turns firing at each other and hiding.

 _Huh, that's funny. I thought there were two players from the other team here, not just one. I wonder where the other player went,_ Brenda thought sarcastically to herself as she looked at the open road. She reached for her pistol and fired it directly behind her, not bothering to turn her head around. She looked back afterwards to see that as she predicted, there was someone from the enemy team who attempted to ambush her.

"Try and become less predictable," Brenda said out loud. She then ran out to the open road, where the last gunner from the other team began firing his machine gun at her. She ducked behind a dusty car, and patiently waited for her moment.

The enemy sniper eventually ducked down behind the car, and Brenda knew at that point that he needed to reload his gun. Without hesitation, she charged forward, and aimed her gun at the enemy sniper. Not giving up, the enemy sniper started to run away, slowly and subtly pulling out his pistol in the process. The sniper turned around and attempted to fire his pistol at Brenda, but it was too late; Brenda had aimed a bullet squarely at the center of his head. He collapsed, and his health bar was fully depleted. Brenda turned around and was greeted with the game-winning screen.

 **:-:-:-:-:** **GAME MASTERS :-:-:-:-:**

 **A/N: So that's Part 1 of Episode 1, "Game Start". What do you guys think of the virtual reality gaming theme? Let me know in a review, and tell me what you guys think! Any feedback is appreicated.**


	4. Game Start - Part 2

Character list can be found at imgur, by putting the following in the URL with the domain: /7HAHDDo

 **:-:-:-:-:** **GAME MASTERS :-:-:-:-:**

 _Come on, this is the last day of the entire semester. No sweat,_ Brenda told herself as she drove her way to eSports High School.

eSports High School was a high school established solely for the purpose of training students to become elite gamers. It was a private invitational high school; only those who proved to be of high gaming calibur could attend the school. Brenda recalled when after her 8th grade graduation ceremony, a person walked up to her and gave her an invitation to the school. True to its name, the school was chalk-full of students aspiring to become the next eSport legend. However, it was still a high school, and just like any other high school, it had its problems.

Brenda entered the classroom and awkwardly greeted the homeroom teacher, Mr. Thorn, saying, "Hello, Mr. Thorn. Um, how was your day?"

Mr. Thorn was an enthusiastic and passionate teacher, so he brushed off the awakwardness and replied, "My day has been spectacular so far, and you're one of the reasons why. Good to see you, Brenda!"

Brenda nodded, and quietly walked to her seat. She sat down and placed her backpack on the ground next to her, staying silent as the students around her eagerly chat about their plans for winter break.

Mr. Thorn began the class. "Welcome to your final school day of the semester! I know you guys are very excited right now, because let's face it, no one here is extremely passionate for schoolwork and tests. Now, on your pre-calculus finals, you may have noticed that there was an optional question on the back for you to answer. Does anyone remember what it was?"

Brenda and a couple of other students raised their hands, leading Mr. Thorn to call on Brenda. She responded, "The question on the back was, I think, 'What is the formula for finding a present value of an annuity where R is the present value, PV is the amount loaned, i is the APR and n is the number of payments?"

"That's correct. Fantastic job, Brenda! I didn't think anyone would be able to memorize it so accurately."

Brenda blushed and silently shrunk back into her seat. She shouldn't feel embarrased, but she was.

"Now, does anyone know the answer to the problem Brenda just said?" Mr. Thorn asked.

No one rose their hand this time; most were decompressing after finals and playing games; very few had the motivation to work on the problem, much less solve it. Brenda had worked diligantly to try and solve the problem after her Field of Fire match against Snipers Underground, but it was to no avail.

Taj, the class president, raised his hand and answered. "The equation I got was PV = R multiplied by …."

 **:-:-:-:-:** **GAME MASTERS :-:-:-:-:**

The bell rang, signalling it was lunch recess. Though some of the students drove out of campus to pick up lunch somewhere, most ended up congregating within school campus. Reviewing her team's match against Snipers Underground, Brenda was carefully assessing what went wrong when someone said, "Heard you won another match."

Brenda turned around to see Arya, one of the snarkiest girls in the entire school, look over her shoulder at the game she was studying. Arya had purple highlights in her almond colored hair, and wore a black leather jacket with a crimson red shirt and tathered jeans. "Good job, almost getting beat by a complete novice team. They outflanked you at your own strategy."

Brenda tried to respond with a powerful comeback, but could only conjure: "Why do you care?"

Arya smirked. "Hey, I'm just calling it as I see it. Sometimes, the hard truth is what propels you the furthest."

"Leave it, Arya," said Jason from across the room, sternly eyeing Arya. Jason was one of the students in Mr. Thorn's class. "I know you know this perfectly well, but you're annoying her, not helping her."

"The word 'know' suggests that it's a fact. But truth is a matter of perspective," Arya replied. "Not everything is what it seems like at first glance."

"That's true. However, what's also true is that from Brenda's _perspective_ , you're trying to annoy her. And according to the school administration perspective, what you're doing is harassment." Jason stood up. "How's that for perspective."

Arya was about to reply when Taj interrupted, saying, "Enough! None of us have time to listen to your petty argument. If you want to argue, argue outside. Otherwise, be quiet, or I'll report the troublemakers."

There were a couple of "ooohs" and "aaahs" thrown around the room by the other students. Jason raised his eyebrows at Arya, who scoffed and sat back down.

Jason walked over to where Brenda was sitting. "Hey, are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Brenda replied, in an uneasy manner. She continued to watch the video of her team going against Snipers Underground, ignoring her classmates for the rest of lunch recess. She was more comfortable in the gaming world than she ever was in real life.

 **:-:-:-:-:** **GAME MASTERS :-:-:-:-:**

Brenda was driving back home. It was a peaceful winter; Cytrix City never got any snow, but temperatures were still fairly chilly. After school had ended that day, Brenda went to a local Field of Fire tournament, where she effortlessly sweeped her way through and won the grand prize of $200. She even won a money match against another player, winning an additional $50 in the process.

As she drove past the blocks of buildings and the many houses, she thought about how she would spend her winter break. All of her classmates were so excited in anticipation for winter break that they informed everyone they could tell; Brenda, however, didn't know what she was going to do.

She was lost in thoughts, pondering these issues before turning on the radio. "This is Gaming Central News, bringing you the latest in the eSports industry…" Brenda didn't expect to hear something she didn't already know; most of the important news were e-mailed to her by her fans, and she checks her e-mail regularly to stay updated.

"BREAKING NEWS. This just in: NextNet World has crashed unexpectedly."

Brenda parked her car next to the sidewalk. _Wait, what?_

"Just five minutes ago, users of NextNet World from all across the globe have reported that the platform has crashed. There was no scheduled maintennance at the time, and NextNet Industries has not yet responded to this event. Users are advised to contact NextNet Industries and inform them of the event to fix the problem in a timely manner. More information will be posted later….."

Brenda nodded and continued driving her car. _Probably just a glitch in the code somewhere,_ she thought. She was certain NextNet World would, at the very least, be fixed by tomorrow morning.

Brenda turned around a corner, not paying much attention to the street ahead of her. She barely saw the car in front of her in time before screeching her car to a halt. Brenda climbed out of her car and looked inside the other car; no one was inside.

 _Who left his/her car in the middle of the street? I don't know what it is with people these days….._

Then she looked ahead, and realized that car was not the only car to have stopped; several other cars lined the streetway, all void of passengers. Everyone seemed to be congregating on the street, spectating some event on the road. But what could it be?

Curious, Brenda walked over to the crowd of people. "Excuse me," she said, shuffling past the many people all staring directly past her at the road.

When she finally moved to the front of the crowd, she saw everything.

 **:-:-:-:-:** **GAME MASTERS :-:-:-:-:**

Brenda witnessed a huge monster storming the streets, terrorizing cars and civillians as it rampaged madly across the street. The monster was ten feet tall, and carried a machine gun, firing wildly at anything and everything. Brenda instantly recognized the monster; it was a NPC (non-playable character) from Field of Fire. _But how did it emerge into the real world?_

Two male teenagers her age stood in front of the monster, directly confronting it. One of them appeared to be of American descent, had golden hair, and wore a red polyester jacket, a white t-shirt and blue jeans.

The other appeared to be of Japanese descent, had black hair, and wore a white t-shirt with a dark green outline around the edges, and black sports pants. _Who are those two? They look familiar, and I think I've seen them before, but I'm not sure where…_

"Hey, monster," the golden-haired teenager with the red jacket yelled. "Looking for a fight? We're right here!"

The monster turned to them, growling loudly, as if ready to pounce.

"Don't get too cocky. Arrogance is a prime cause of downfall in society," the black-haired teenager with the green t-shirt replied.

"You can have fun with your superfluous sayings later, but right now we have a monster to destroy," the golden-haired teenager replied, grinning.

Brenda watched as the two of them took out a bright, neon green driver of sorts, and clicked it onto their waist. Then, each of them took out a brightly colored cartridge; the golden-haired teenager had a red cartridge, and the black-haired teenager had a green cartridge. Both of them clicked a button that was on each of their cartridges, and some sounds rung out:

 _FORMULA RACING!_

 _NINJA KINGDOM!_

A screen appeared behind each of them, displaying the title of the game and an animation to accompany it. Around the street, racing trophies and sparring dummies spawned sporadically. It was as if the street was being transformed into the two games.

 _Wait, aren't those two games from NextNet World?_ Brenda thought. _Yeah, they are! What the heck is going on?_

"Power on," they both said, and inserted the cartridge into the driver.

 _GAME MASTER!_

Brenda watched as the two of them became engulfed in red and green pixels and transformed into red and green costumes, respectively. The golden-haired teenager had a red cape, while the black-haired teenager had a green cape. The drivers once again spewed out phrases:

 _Finishing at mach speeds! Formula Racing! Ranger Red!_

 _The land of swordmasters! Ninja Kingdom! Ranger Green!_

"They look like the Mystic Force Power Rangers!" someone yelled.

 _Power Rangers? As if this couldn't get more confusing…_

Brenda continued to watch as the two of them summoned weapons: _FORMULA SWORD! NINJA KATANAS!_ They then charged towards the monster, striking their swords at it in unison.

The monster took several blows before standing up and beating its chest. Balls of fire spawned from underneath him and attacked the Red and Green Rangers.

"This monster can summon fire at will. We're going to have to proceed with caution," the Green Ranger said.

"Nah, forget that," the Red Ranger said, running directly towards the monster. The monster fired more shots, but the Red Ranger deflected them with his sword. He directly struck the monster at its chest and then hacked his sword against its shoulders. The monster, in return, prepared to launch another motley of fire; however, the Green Ranger struck him from behind.

"Whoo! Thanks, man," the Red Ranger said to the Green Ranger.

"Be more cautious next time," the Green Ranger replied in warning.

The monster was near defeat. It tried to summon more fire, but to no avail. Brenda knew it was near zero in health.

"Should we activate the finishing attack?" the Red Ranger asked the Green Ranger.

"Sure, why not."

Both of them tossed away their weapons, which pixelated into thin air, and then took their cartridges out and inserted it into the side compartment. Each of them pressed the gray button on the side compartment.

 _FINISHING ATTACK!_

Both Rangers crouched down, preparing to jump.

 _FORMULA RACING CRITICAL FINISH!_

 _NINJA KINGDOM CRITICAL FINISH!_

Both Rangers jumped high into the air, performed an air kick, and then descended down, driving their kicks into the monster. An explosion occurred, causing many bystanders to murmur in worry.

When the explosion cleared and the dust settled, the two Rangers were seen standing upright, staring into the distance in an unfazed manner.

 _GAME CLEAR!_

Once the _GAME CLEAR!_ screèn disappeared, both of the Rangers took the cartridges out of their drivers.

 _SHUTTING DOWN…..._

The Rangers de-transformed back into their casual attire, still staring into the distance. The two of them stood still for a long moment before closing their eyes, falling back and collapsing onto the ground unconscious.

Most of the bystanders started rushing in to help. Questions were being thrown left and right: "What the heck was that?", "Did you see the way they summoned weapons from thin air? Heck, those weapons disappeared into thin air too!", "Are they really Power Rangers?"

Brenda was the first one over, sitting next to the two unconscious teenagers. The two of them looked familiar, and now Brenda knew she must have seen them before. She racked her brain for recollection before she remembered what their cartridges said: _FORMULA RACING! NINJA KINGDOM!_

 _Oh my god, these are the protagonists from the NextNet World games! How did I forget? In Formula Racing, you play as Jacob, who is a golden-haired teenager that looks exactly like the Red Ranger! And in Ninja Kingdom, you play as Kai, who is a black-haired teenager that looks exactly like the Green Ranger! These are Jacob and Kai!_

Brenda continued staring at them. _But…. they're video game characters. How did they come to the real world? And why do they have these Ranger powers and abilities?_

"We need to take them to a hospital," a bystander shouted, dialing 911 into his cellphone.

A flurry of thoughts rushed to Brenda's head. _We can't take them to the hospital! They are video game characters, and have no registrated human IDs. If we take them to a hospital, they're surely going to be found out._

"No, it's okay," Brenda blurted out, much to the surprise of the bystanders. "I'll take them to the hospital myself."

The bystander with the cellphone protested, "I'm pretty sure it would be best to wait for an ambulance for proper medical assistance…."

"These two… are my cousins," Brenda blurted. Everyone looked even more surprised. "It's better if I take them to the hospital myself. I can get them checked in properly."

"Well, alright….. If you say so, I guess," the bystander responded in a skeptical manner.

Brenda ran over to get her car, and drove it to where Jacob and Kai were lying down. With the help from a few bystanders, she hoisted the two of them into her car, and drove off.

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 _Brenda, why the heck did you do that? You claimed they were your cousins? Great idea. I wonder how long you can keep that secret up! If anyone gets the slightest hint of foul play, you're totally screwed. All for carrying two unconscious teenagers in the backseats of your car by yourself. Good job._

Brenda looked behind to the backseats, where Jacob and Kai sat unconsciously. She recalled her experiences of playing Formula Racing and Ninja Kingdom, and remembered Jacob and Kai's personalities in each of those games. These two were surely Jacob and Kai; in Brenda's mind, there was no doubt about it.

 _Even if they are Jacob and Kai, what are you going to do? They're going to be outcasts, with no identity in the real world! No one will believe your story that video game characters just happened to come to life._

Brenda suddenly remembered the news from the radio. _"This just in….. the NextNet World crashed unexpectedly…. No maintennance was scheduled at this time…."_

 _It can't be; is their emergence connected to the crash?_

Brenda screeched the car to a halt once again. In front of her was another large pedestrian crowd. Quickly, she disembarked the car and shuffled past the crowd again.

She saw the same exact scenario as with Jacob and Kai, except with two girls facing the monster instead. One girl appeared to be of Japanese descent, had long dark brown hair that fell to her shoulders, and wore a colorful tie-dye t-shirt on the outside with a pink long sleeves shirt on the inside. She wore dark magenta leggings and had a pink jacket tied around her waist. _That's Phoebe, from Pop Idol Life!_

The other girl appeared to be of South Korean descent, with luscious long brown hair that also fell to her shoulders. She wore a striped sleeveless shirt with plaid blue and white, and wore blue jean shorts. Tied around her waist was a blue jacket. She wore a small cyan camera around her neck. _That's Serena, from Lost Adventures!_

"Let's get this party started~" Phoebe sang.

Serena smiled. "Are you sure you're ready?"

"Ready as I ever will be!" Phoebe exclaimed happily.

Feeling a sense of deja vu, Brenda tried to approach them, but was forced to stay behind when the monster pointed its machine gun at her, and took cover. She could only watch as the two of them took out their drivers and pulled out their cartridges. Phoebe took out a pink cartridge, and Serena took out a blue cartridge.

 _POP IDOL LIFE!_

 _LOST ADVENTURES!_

A screen appeared behind each of them, displaying the game title and an animation to accompany it. Around the street, piano stands and camera tripods spawned frequently. Once again, it was as if the street was being transformed into fields for the two games.

"Power on," both of them said, inserting the cartridges into the drivers.

 _GAME MASTER!_

Brenda watched from a distance as the two of them became engulfed in pink and blue pixels, respectively. They transformed into pink and blue costumes, each equipped with a cape.

 _The worldwide sensation! Pop Idol Life! Ranger Pink!_

 _Exploring new frontiers! Lost Adventures! Ranger Blue!_

 _Here we go again_ , Brenda thought to herself. She gazed at Phoebe and Serena summoning weapons: _MEOLDY SWORD! ADVENTURE BLASTER!_

Brenda knew it was only a matter of time before they encountered the same fate as Jacob and Kai. She sighed, not looking forward to the commotion that would soon follow.

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 **A/N: So that's Part 2 of Episode 1, "Game Start". What do you guys think will happen next? How will Brenda cope with everything that's transpired? Let me know in a review, and as always, feedback is appreciated.**


	5. Game Start - Part 3

Character list can be found at imgur, by putting the following in the URL with the domain: /7HAHDDo

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Brenda thought her day couldn't get any worse. Sure enough, she was wrong.

At first, it was just a long-winded stretch of panic driving. As she predicted, Phoebe and Serena were able to easily defeat the Field of Fire NPC as the Pink Ranger and Blue Ranger, respectively. After they got the _GAME CLEAR!_ screèn, they de-transformed and fell unconscious. Since Brenda already knew how she was going to bluff (though claiming them as cousins still seemed ridiculous), it was a bit easier to convince the bystanders to let Phoebe and Serena stay in Brenda's car.

Nervous thoughts filled Brenda's mind as she drove through the streets. _Well, good work, Brenda. Now, instead of two unconscious teenagers in your car, you have four. It's literally double the trouble. Where are you going to take them? They're video game characters, for crying out loud. They don't exist in the real world, or at least didn't. If they're in poor health, though, and you just take them into hiding, it's not going to make their situation better. But if you take them to a hospital, you and they will be exposed._

Brenda was so lost in thoughts that she absentmindedly drove through the streets, paying little notice to where she was going. Eventually, she managed to snap herself. _Just take them back home for now, and figure your next best course of action. Driving around the city isn't going to help._

Brenda was about to input "Home" as her destination in the car's GPS when he heard a voice say, "Where in the world is this?"

Brenda turned around. Jacob had woken up, and was sitting upright on his seat, clearly confused as to why he was there. "Who are you?" he asked.

"Um…. My name is Brenda. I was one of the bystanders at your fight with that monster," Brenda said awkwardly as she drove the car.

"Wait, what fight?" Jacob said, rubbing his head. "Last time I remember, I was about to cross the finish line at the Motorcycle Grand Prix 1024. You must be mistaking me for someone else."

"No, I mean the fight you just had. You transformed into Power Rangers and fought the fire-breathing monster, remember?" Brenda asked. _I guess being unconscious for a while can make your memories hazy._

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Jacob replied, clearly confused. Brenda was about to reply when Kai opened his eyes and looked around. Kai looked directly at Brenda. "Who are you and what do you want?"

"My name is Brenda, and I was one of the bystanders at your battle with the fire-breathing monster," Brenda explained in a desperate manner.

"I don't recall having a battle of your depiction," Kai replied, also in a confused manner.

"Oh, no, you don't remember either?" Brenda asked, rubbing her head in confusion. _Do none of them remember what's going on?_

"Remember what?" Phoebe asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Do you not remember having a battle with a fire-breathing monster?" Brenda asked Phoebe.

Phoebe laughed. "I'm sorry, but I do not. That sounds like a good story, though."

Serena was the last one to wake up. She asked Brenda, "May I ask where you're taking me?"

"I'm driving you guys to my house. There are a few things you guys need to know," Brenda told Serena.

"She claims we battled against fire-breathing monsters," Jacob told Serena.

"Did we? I don't remember doing so," Serena replied.

Brenda slowly drove the car through the city, navigating her way home. After all the commotion, the last thing she wanted to do was get lost. _If they don't remember anything, how I am I supposed to explain everything to them? They might not even believe me! I know everything about them, but I don't have anything of substance to provide as evidence for my explanation._

While Brenda was driving the car through the city back home, slowly contemplating how she was going to handle the situation at hand, Kai stared out the window. _Which city is this? It doesn't look like any of the cities from the kingdom. So many skyscrapers, and vehicles, and…. Wait…._

"Stop. Stop the car," Kai abruptly proclaimed, startling everyone else. "Stop the car right now!"

Brenda was surprised, but complied with the request. She pulled the car to a stop, and asked Kai, "Do you need something?"

But Kai wasn't able to hear her. He opened the car door and left the car, immediately rushing into the store nearby.

Brenda became flabbergastered. "Um….. Alright, I'll go get Kai, the rest of you stay here….."

She didn't even finish her sentence before Jacob, Phoebe, and Serena followed Kai into the store, ignoring anything Brenda was trying to tell them.

 _Why did they rush into the store?_ Brenda thought as she opened the door and looked at the store in front of her. It didn't take two seconds for Brenda to realize why. As soon as she looked at the door design, she realized which store it was.

It was a NextNet store. And plastered on the exterior windows were four posters; each poster advertised one of the four original NextNet World games: Formula Racing, Pop Idol Life, Lost Adventures, and Ninja Kingdom. On these posters were Jacob's, Phoebe's, Serena's, and Kai's faces, respectively.

"Well, if you need to give them an explanation, here is one," Brenda sarcastically muttered to herself. She walked into the store, preparing herself for the inevitable chaos that will ensue.

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At first, Kai didn't believe Brenda at all. Just as he was framed for a crime he didn't commit, he believed Brenda was trying to deceive him to mask an ulterior motive. He didn't believe there was anything she could do to prove what she was saying. It seemed ridiculous, after all. Brenda claimed he just _happened_ to fight a fire-breathing monster and had no recollection of it? To Kai, the chances of that were slim to none.

What he saw in the store, however, changed everything.

He immediately rushed over to the NextNet World section of the NextNet store. There were five games open for demo playing, with four gigantic posters advertising the original four. Kai immediately recognized Jacob's, Phoebe's, and Serena's faces on the walls, each representing a certain game.

But in that moment, nothing else mattered more than the poster that had Kai's face on it.

Kai stood in shock as he stared at the green ceiling poster with his face on it. The poster was titled "Ninja Kingdom", and showed him holding two katanas, as if ready to fight. On the bottom of the poster was the NextNet logo.

Kai walked over to the demo stations, where customers of the store could freely experiment the game for themselves. There was no one at the demo stations, allowing Kai to walk over to the Ninja Kingdom demo station and take a look. The Ninja Kingdom demo station provided a synopsis of the game; he read this silently to himself:

 _Are you ready to rise in the rankings of the warrior and become the Ultimate Ninja? Ninja Kingdom is an action-packed, weapon-fighting game just for you. Play as Kai, a once formidable ninja trainee who is framed for a crime he did not commit and was subsequently banished from the kingdom. As you compete and win in weapon-fighting duels, you'll begin elevating your status in the Ninja Kingdom and garnering respect from others. Restore glory to your family heritage and become the Ultimate Ninja._

 _This is just like your own history; it's your life,_ Kai thought. He reached for the NextNet World demo station headset, and wrapped it around his head. Some blue text was etched out on the black screen in front of him:

 _WELCOME TO THE NINJA KINGDOM DEMO. CHOOSE YOUR STAGE:_

 _PAGODA PEAK_

 _TATSUKASA TEMPLE_

 _KAZURABA COURTYARD_

Kai remembered back to his first practice duel: a katana duel with his mentor.

" _Where would you like to spar, young Kai? We could practice in the mountains, or the nearby temple, if you wanted. We could even practice in the royalty courtyard," his mentor asked._

Kai looked at the three arena options, and realized they were just a re-expression of what his mentor had said. _Were all these people I've met just programmed to shape my reality?_

Kai remembered his first duel with his mentor taking place at the temple, so he selected the Tatsukasa Temple option. Quickly, the environment changed from a pitch-black void to a Japanese traditional temple. He looked down and saw himself dressed in black fabric. Across the other side of the temple was his mentor, who was delivering the same instructions he had received when he had his first duel.

 _This is exactly how the duel was._

Kai took a deep breath. _If I want to find answers, then I need to keep playing this game and forge deeper into this world._

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Jacob thought Brenda was cute, but he wasn't quite sure of what to make of her claims. As much as he enjoyed reading comic books, fighting a fire-breathing monster seemed way out of the picture. _I mean, that would be awesome and all, but if it was true, why can't I remember it?_

No amount of comic books and plot twists could have prepared him for the revelation that he was about to experience, though.

At first, Jacob was confused as to why Kai demanded to leave the car and enter the store. He didn't know much about Kai, but he figured Kai wasn't the type to be so brash.

Then he saw his own face on the front wall of the NextNet video game store. All of a sudden, he realized why Kai had rushed in. He heard Brenda try to tell them something, but he impulsively rushed into the store after Kai.

He walked over to the NextNet World demo stations, and headed straight to the Formula Racing demo station. There, a poster of him riding a motorcycle was hung from the ceiling. The poster was titled "Formula Racing", and had the NextNet World logo on the bottom.

 _That's me, on my motorcycle….. But how?_

Jacob read the synopsis at the demo station:

 _Ready to become the greatest racer in history? Formula Racing is the ultimate high-speeds, extreme racing game just for you. Play as Jacob, a teenager interning at a local motorbike-repair workshop who soon discovers his passion for racing. Compete in races on a variety of tracks while using numerous unique vehicles to propel yourself to the finish. Build your legacy and become the #1 racer in the world._

 _It's just like my past,_ Jacob thought.

Instinctively, Jacob pulled the NextNet World headset over his head. He saw a black screen in front of him, with the text:

 _CHOOSE YOUR STAGE:_

 _DAYTONA RACING LOOP_

 _SUNSHINE MEADOWS_

 _RIVERSIDE WOODS_

 _DIAMOND CAVERN_

 _DESERT MARKET_

Jacob remembered when he first started racing. A friend came to him and gave him a pamphlet once he finished his internship at the motorbike-repair workshop.

" _If you want to become the best, then you'll need to race with the best. These are the five tracks in which the most elite travel to and race at. Competing in any of these five tracks will give you experience and exposure to the racing world," his friend had said._

It seemed so ridiculous now. Those five tracks from his friend's pamphlet were the same ones being presented to him in the demo. _Was everything I ever did really dictated by the designers of the game?_

Jacob shook his head. _Well, there's only way to find out for sure: to play the game for yourself._ Jacob picked "DAYTONA RACING LOOP", and began preparing himself for what was to come. It would almost be a nostalgia ride, except without the joy of reminiscing.

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When Phoebe woke up, she thought her manager had put her in the wrong car. There didn't seem to be any other reasonable explanation as to how she got stuck in a car with four other teenagers without proper supervision being present. _Well, you have to make the best of what you have. They probably know who you are, so it should be easy to strike a conversation. Maybe we can hold a karaoke contest or something._

She should have known there was something wrong when no one there seemed to recognize her. Things were definitely off beat.

At first, when she saw her poster on the store, she didn't think much of it. She had done countless advertisements for various stores, so it wouldn't have surprised her to see her own face on a poster. It was the realization that the poster was on the wall of a video game store that got her worried. _iirc, I never agreed to advertise for a video game._

The dots began connecting as soon as she entered the store. _This definitely isn't a place I know. No one here looks familiar in the slightest. No company brands or designs I recognize….. What is going on?_

By this point, Jacob and Kai were already sucked into the virtual reality technology, whatever it was. Phoebe was still trying to deduce where she was and what happened. She was decent at understanding people on an emotional basis, and her observation of Brenda's response to her led her to ponder deeply.

Absorbed in thoughts, it took a while for her to realize that the answer was literally right in front of her; the synopsis of Pop Idol Life was directly in front of her. Once she took notice, she began reading it to herself:

 _Are you ready to become a worldwide musical sensation? Pop Idol Life is the all-inclusive, fully-comprehensive life simulation game designed just for you. Play as Phoebe, a musical prodigy aspiring to become a pop idol. Sing aloud as if in a real concert, and perform many songs in front of thousands of fans. Increase your fan base and develop a social media profile. Revolutionize your life to become the world's most popular pop idol._

At first, Phoebe was ready to dismiss the game as a fan-demanded creation made to mimic her lifestyle. It wouldn't have been out of the realm of possibilities for a commercially available media creation to be based on her; she was frequently consulting with her manager regarding marketing to the general public. But never did she ever hear about a video game being based on her very own life.

 _What if it's not a game based on me…. But a game with me in it?_

Somehow, Phoebe knew it was the right answer.

After taking a deep breath, she took the NextNet headset and wrapped it over her head. Within seconds, she entered the virtual reality version of her room.

She looked around and gasped. Every single detail of the room in the game matched her own room. She knew that no pictures of her room have ever leaked onto the Internet; her manager kept track of the people who ever entered her house and carefully documented the activity.

 _If this isn't a copy of my room, then….. this must be my room._

Multiple feelings registered for her. Shock, bewilderment, anxiety, worry, confusion. Reality began to set in for her: _Your whole life has been a lie. You've lived life within this video game world, shaped by NextNet._

She walked over to the microphone in her VR room. When she picked it up, a screen popped up that read:

 _STAGE: KIRIYA CONCERT_

 _SONG: EXCITE!_

 _DIFFICULTY: EASY_

 _READY TO SING? YES / NO_

Phoebe remembered her first concert she ever sang at: the Kiriya Concert. After months of preparation, her manager finally landed her a concert at Kiriya Concert, where she sang "EXCITE!" in front of hundreds of fans. _Was….. was my life really just a video game?_

Phoebe selected the "Yes" option, preparing herself for what was ahead. _If I want to learn more, I have to reexperience my life through the lens of a video game…_

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Serena wasn't quite sure what she was getting herself into.

Of the four, she was probably the most interested in what Brenda had to say. The others seemed skeptical of her claims, but Serena had faith she was trying to communicate the truth to them. Sure, it may have been a bit ridiculous to her, the whole "fire breathing monster" explanation, but she was willing to hear Brenda out. _There's a reason for everything people do. Most are based on the principle that they are trying to act in one's best interest. There is no reason to believe Brenda wouldn't be trying to help you._

Much like the others, however, what she saw at the NextNet video game store put her for a tailspin.

It was peculiar to see her face on the front of the NextNet video game store. She wasn't particularly famous, so it did come to her as a surprise to see herself there. It didn't trouble her too much, though. _There's an explanation for everything. You just have to find it._

Kai, Jacob, and Phoebe were already playing extensively at the NextNet World demo stations, so Serena walked over to there. She walked around, noticing the vast array of video games lining the shelves, as well as the various gaming gadgets filling the racks. After calmly strolling through the station, she finally walked over to the Lost Adventures video game station, where she read the synopsis of the game:

 _There's a vast world ready for exploration; are you prepared to venture out? Lost Adventures is the ultimate open-world exploration game just for you. Play as Serena, a calm and optimistic teenage girl who wakes up one day with no memories of her past. To discover her true identity, travel to faraway lands, from beautiful meadows to jagged mountain ranges, and obtain clues that hint to her past. Discover the world and yourself in this breath-taking game._

Everything. Everything the synopsis said. It was her entire life's history, on a demo station inside a game store.

 _Is… is it really? Is everything I knew a lie?_

Serena tried to look to the bright side in the situation. But as far as she could tell, there was none.

Sighing deeply, Serena took the NextNet World headset and adjusted it around her head. Within seconds, she was transported to a lush meadow, dotted with colorful flowers and tall green grass.

 _I recognize this place….. it's where I first woke up. It was where my journey started._

Deep in thoughts, Serena wandered around the meadow aimlessly, thinking about her revelation. Like the others, she was sucked into the game, attempting to find the answers that have escaped her….

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For Brenda, she never would have thought that video games would in any way substantially revolutionize her personality. They were just games, after all. Even if her team lost in an upset against a novice team, she took it in stride; to her, what happened in the game, stayed in the game. What she didn't anticipate, however, was that some characters would come from inside the video game to the real world.

As she walked into the NextNet video game store, she tried to keep track of all the events that happened during the day:

 _You were driving back home after winning your local Field of Fire tournament, when you were stopped by a frenzy of people spectating teenagers transforming into Power Rangers to fight fire-breathing monsters. After those teenagers de-transformed and fell unconscious, you realized they were video game protagonists. You claimed that they were your cousins and took them into your car. While driving, they suddenly regained consciousness and had no memories of their fight. When trying to explain to them what transpired, they saw the NextNet video game store with their faces on it and rushed in. Now, you are trying to rally them back to your car by… however you can._

It definitely wasn't her finest day, to say the least.

Exhausted from everything that had transpired previously, she wandered around the store, half-heartedly making an attempt to find Jacob, Phoebe, Serena, and Kai. Part of her wanted to just wait outside the store and let them come to her, so she could avoid their reactions to the revelation that they were video game characters. For Brenda, she couldn't even imagine what it would be like if she discovered she was a video game character, and that her whole life had been a lie; having to confront four people in this situation was not something she especially looked forward to. But she knew she had to do it.

Sure enough, Brenda found them at the NextNet World demo station, where all four were playing the demos of their own games. She wasn't particularly good at recognizing other people's feelings, but even she could tell that they were in complete shock at their revelations. She didn't blame them, given the situation.

She knew how NextNet World worked; once you put on the headset and confirmed your choice to enter the NextNet World, your consciousness is transferred to the game world, almost completely shut off from the real world. Many have compared NextNet World to Sword Art Online, and in terms of game configuration, they were mostly the same.

Now, however, Brenda needed a way to communicate with them, but it was impossible to do so with their minds inside the games. She knew their revelations warranted a proper explanation; but of course, how were they supposed to believe her claims would give more truthful information than simply playing the games for themselves? If she was in their shoes, she'd probably do the same thing.

Brenda scrambled to find a solution. _If there's no way to talk to them when they're inside the game, you need to find a way to take them out of the game._ Looking around the demo stations, she spotted a power cord that connected the demo stations to the outlets. She impulsively pulled out the power cord, causing the stations to be shut down.

Jacob, Phoebe, Serena and Kai all took their headsets off, confused as to why the games stopped working. "Guys, I know you want to know more about where you came from, but here is not the place," Brenda told them.

"Then where is?" Kai asked.

"We can go back to my house. I'll explain everything to you guys. I promise."

"Not meaning to sound rude, but how can we trust you?" Phoebe asked.

"You probably can't. I know it seems unreasonable, that my word would have more credence then playing the games for yourselves. But I saw everything that happened with you guys, and I can tell you guys the events that transpired. If you don't believe me, that's fine, I totally get it. But please, give me a chance," Brenda pleaded.

"What's all the fuss about?" an employee of the NextNet video game store asked. Not realizing who Jacob, Phoebe, Serena, and Kai were, he looked around and saw the demo stations unplugged. "Someone unplugged the stations? Do you guys know who did it?"

"It was me," Brenda replied. The employee looked at her strangely before saying, "Wait, I recognize you! You're Supernova, right? The top female Field of Fire player?"

"Yeah, that's me," Brenda replied in embarrassment. "Look, I'm sorry for unplugging the stations, it's just that an emergency occurred." She pulled out her winnings from the local Field of Fire tournament she had won, and handed it to the employee. "This should cover the costs for reinstating the stations, right?"

The employee took the money and looked at it, then looked at Brenda. "Yeah, this should be more than enough. Look, I know that you aren't the type to just vandalize stores, so I'll keep this under wraps. Just try not to unplug the video game stations next time, okay?"

"Thank you," Brenda replied in relief. She quickly ushered the four others out of the NextNet video game store and into her car.

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"May you explain to us what has transpired?" Serena asked.

After Brenda nudged the four of them out the store and into the car, she drove them back home without much hassle. The five of them entered the mansion she lived in, and were now all sitting in her room. The other four were all looking at Brenda, awaiting the explanation.

Brenda sighed. "Okay, where do I start? Let's see….. I guess I should start with what you saw at the store.

The video game store you guys were in was a store owned by NextNet Industries. NextNet Industries is the most popular VR video game corporation in the entire world. It all started when they released Field of Fire, an online FPS game that gained traction with players all around the world. You may or may not have seen the game when you walked into the store.

After the sprawling success of Field of Fire, NextNet Industries released NextNet World, a virtual reality world packaged with Field of Fire and four other games: Formula Racing, Pop Idol Life, Lost Adventures, and Ninja Kingdom."

Brenda first nodded to Jacob. "Formula Racing was a racing game starring you as the protagonist. As you know, the goal of the game is to become the best racer the world has ever seen, competing at many different tracks and races."

Brenda then nodded to Phoebe. "Pop Idol Life was a life simulation game starring you as the protagonist. The goal of your game is to gain popularity as a pop idol by singing songs to audiences across the globe, and increase your fan base."

Brenda then nodded to Serena. "Lost Adventures was a exploration game starring you as the protagonist. The goal of your game was to explore the world, gathering hints as to your true identity while journeying the vast world around you."

Finally, Brenda nodded over to Kai. "Ninja Kingdom was a sword-fighting game starring you as the protagonist. Your goal was to recover after a wrongful conviction by mastering the art of sword-fighting so that you could rise the ranks and regain respect and glory."

"These four games, bundled with Field of Fire, were packaged into NextNet World. Once again, it attracted massive sales and was a financial success for NextNet Industries. These five unique games diversified the user experience, increasing engagement and loyalty with the gamers," Brenda continued.

"But back to what transpired today. I wasn't lying when I said you guys were fighting fire-breathing monsters; as far-fetched as it seemed to all of us, it's true. I was driving back home when I saw you guys on the street, preparing to fight the fire-breathing monsters stomping the roads. Back then, I didn't recognize who you guys were.

I watched as you guys transformed into Power Rangers and destroyed the fire-breathing monsters. After the battle was over, you guys de-transformed, and lost consciousness. It was then I recognized who you guys were.

I knew you guys didn't have any IDs or anything, so I fabricated a lie about you guys being my cousins, and took you guys into my car. You guys regained consciousness shortly after, and the rest you guys know," Brenda finished. "How you guys came from the games into the real world, I don't know. How you guys got the drivers and cartridges, I don't know. How you guys were able to transform and fight the fire-breathing monsters, I don't know. How the monster got there, I don't know."

Brenda looked around. Jacob, Phoebe, Serena, and Kai all seemed to believe her, but still seemed to be in grief.

"That's a lot to take in," Serena replied. "Thank you, though, for taking the time and effort out of your day to not only help us, but tell us the full story."

"I find it hard to believe, but somehow…. I know it's the truth," Jacob replied.

Phoebe exhaled. "I don't know if I can take in all of that. What you said was earth-shattering to me."

Kai solemnly nodded his head. "So that's how it is, then…" he said, turning his head to the nearby window.

Brenda looked at the four of them, and sighed deeply. "Look, I know it's a lot to take in. I can't even imagine the amount of grief and shock you guys are going through. My one request is that you guys stay the night in my house. Please, I know there's more you want to know, and I'll help you guys with it. But it's already 9 PM, and it's pitch black outside. Get some rest."

The four of them looked at each other for a long time, before nodding their heads.

Brenda sighed again. "Alright. I'm going to go to sleep now." She walked over to her bed room, jumped into bed, and lied down face-to-ceiling. Before she knew it, she was asleep.

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Brenda woke up early the next day. It wasn't her style, for she usually went to sleep late and woke up late. After everything she had just been through, though, she knew she couldn't sleep easy.

She checked her clock, which told her it was 6 AM. After a big yawn, she climbed out of bed and walked downstairs to make breakfast for herself. _Man, yesterday was so energy-sapping for me. I don't know if I can manage the four others….._

Brenda almost spilled her milk carton. _Wait, the four others. Where are they?_

Panicking, Brenda sprinted through the whole house, going room by room as she searched the entire house. No one was there. Except for her, the mansion was spot empty.

Brenda exhaled in exasperation. _It looks like my journey isn't over yet…._

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 **A/N: So that's Part 3 of Episode 1, "Game Start". Part 4, the final part of the episode, will be released shortly. Where do you think Jacob, Phoebe, Serena and Kai went to? Will Brenda find them? Let me know in a review, and please, any feedback is welcome.**


	6. Game Start - Part 4

Character list can be found at imgur, by putting the following in the URL with the domain: /7HAHDDo

 **:-:-:-:-:** **GAME MASTERS :-:-:-:-:**

Jacob didn't really know where he was going. But once you enter a completely different world, it'd be hard to tell where you were going.

He felt bad for leaving the mansion that night. Brenda was so kind to them, so thoughtful. After going through all the trouble of taking them under her hospitality, she disclosed the full truth to them, just as she promised. Jacob couldn't fathom what it would have been to be Brenda; to just be living the average teenage life, when suddenly all this craziness happened beneath her. _She had to shoulder the burden for the four of you._

But Jacob couldn't just sleep peacefully after learning who he was. In a matter of hours, his life was turned upside down, and everything he had ever lived through, dreamed through, thought through was a lie. He was just a video game character.

After Brenda had fallen asleep, he, Phoebe, Serena, and Kai all exchanged looks. Without verbal communication, they covertly agreed that they couldn't stay the night at the mansion. Once they left the mansion, they all went their separate ways.

Jacob tilted his head downward. He was still wearing the red polyester jacket he wore when he first woke up in Brenda's car. He vaguely remembered the color of the Formula Racing poster; it was also red. _Maybe some correlation exists?_

Either way, he didn't really care. Such a small issue would be microscopic in the grand scheme of events.

He sighed and looked around him. Without anywhere to go the previous night, he walked to the only place he felt at home in the real world; the racing stadium. He was sitting on a cold metal gray bleacher, staring out to the racing track located at the center of the stadium. The stadium and the track were empty, but to Jacob it still felt like home.

Jacob closed his eyes, then looked at the track again. He could imagine himself as a racer, speeding his motorbike past other competitors and slowly inching his way to the front of the pack, closing every turn with precision and efficiency. He could remember when he won a two foot tall trophy in commemoration for winning first place. But all of those accomplishments were for void; they took place in the Formula Racing world, not the real world. Here, in the real world, Jacob was a nobody.

"I knew I'd find you here."

Jacob turned around. Brenda was walking down the stairs to where Jacob was sitting. Without speaking another word, she walked over and sat next to Jacob.

Brenda looked at the track, at first not making eye contact with Jacob. "This bears strong resemblance to the Daytona Racing Track, does it not? I know this stadium was a source of inspiration for the DRT."

Brenda then looked at Jacob, who was still staring at the track. "It was also where you won your first gold trophy. You were so proud of finally making a name of yourself. After all those hours of training, your hard work finally paid off."

Jacob remained stoic. "Yeah, I figured you played the game through, with my whole life's history presented inside a video game. Everything I've ever done…. you probably know." He looked at Brenda. "What's your point?"

Brenda exhaled and eased up, relaxing the tension from her shoulders and placing her hands back. "The point is that it was your greatest moment in your life. I remembered the excitement you felt, and I thought it might still be a happy memory for you. In times as shocking as these, you need to keep yourself strong."

"How can it be my greatest achievement? How can anything I've ever done been an achievement? Everything I've ever done was programmed into the game, written by a couple of software engineer sitting at their desks. I didn't accomplish these myself; other people made me accomplish these." Jacob lowered his head.

"Look, you've lived inside the video game your entire life. I get it. Everything may seem so abstract to you. But in the end, you still lived that life. There is no life on the planet not worth living, even if it's just within the remnants of a video game," Brenda responded. "Even if your past life took place inside a video game, now you're finally in the real world."

"What do you mean by that?" Jacob asked.

"I'm not psychic. But I know you're imagining yourself racing through the track, or something along those lines. Think about it. If your life really was a lie, would you be able to remember anything you did? You respond emotionally the most to that win at the Daytona Racing Track, which is why you recalled it. This at the very least proves you have a conscious, and you have an animate mind," Brenda replied.

Jacob rose his head. "Maybe you're right." He looked at Brenda, now emotionally restored. "Speaking of, why do you care so much? I'm just a video game character, and you're a human who has an actual life. Why go through all this trouble?"

Brenda shook her head. "Honestly, I don't know. When I took you guys into my car….. I don't know what I was thinking. It was just my instinct, my impulse. I felt like I needed to help you guys out, even if you guys were video game characters, because to me you guys matter as much as ordinary humans."

Jacob was now deep in thought. _Brenda saved me despite my status as a video game character. She believed I mattered as much as an actual human living on this planet. The very least I can do for her is to prove her right._

Jacob stood up. "Thank you, Brenda."

"No problem," she replied softly. "Now, are you ready? We still have to find the others….."

 **:-:-:-:-:** **GAME MASTERS :-:-:-:-:**

Brenda found Phoebe sitting down in a seat inside the extravagantly majestic Cytrix City Concert. Phoebe was singing something softly to herself; Brenda couldn't tell what it was, but she knew it was lovely. It was the most beautiful voice she ever heard.

Brenda sat down with Phoebe, who stopped singing once she realized Brenda had arrived. "Sorry for the singing," Phoebe said.

"No, it's okay," Brenda replied. "Your voice is beautiful."

Phoebe blushed. "Thanks, but I mean, we both know why that is the case." She looked at the magnificent stage in front of her and sighed.

"The Cytrix City Concert," Brenda said. "The source of inspiration for the Kazuraba Concert in Pop Idol Life."

Phoebe nodded. "Yeah, I noticed. I suppose that even in a different world, some things are still the same." She still appeared to be melancholy. "You've played Pop Idol Life before, right? You know my entire life story?"

Brenda nodded, causing Phoebe to exhale. "The last thing I remembered before waking up in your car was a conversation with my manager. We were making preparations for the upcoming concert that day. It was going to be the largest attendance of any of my concerts, so I was excited. To me, it was a symbol of how far I had come." She laughed weak-heartedly. "Funny, how silly it looks now that I know the truth. In the real world, I don't have a name for myself, no company I'm signing with, nothing. Instead, my fame rests in my status as a video game character,"

The two of them sat at the concert for a long time without talking. Finally, Brenda said, "Do you know why I complimented your voice just a few minutes ago?"

Phoebe turned her head to look at Brenda. Brenda continued, "I wasn't speaking in hyperbole when I said that. You really do have the most beautiful voice I've ever heard."

"So what?" Phoebe inquired. "I have this voice because the game wanted me to. It wasn't, you know, an organic talent. Instead, it was just an implemented attribute to my character."

"Even if the game wanted you to, so what? Now you are here, still with a long future awaiting you. Even if you have to restart your career, it won't be difficult to rise back up the ranks. You have a beautiful voice, and trust me, people want to hear it. No matter if you're a video game character or not."

"She's right," a voice said. Phoebe turned her head behind her to see Jacob walking down the corridor to their row. "Even if we were given these attributes, we can still use them to start new lives. In this world, there are no rules, no boundaries for us. We really can do anything," Jacob said.

Brenda extended her hand. "So, um, do you wish to join us, for the lack of a better question?"

Phoebe looked forward, and Brenda started to worry. However, Phoebe flashed a smile to her, and shook Brenda's hand.

"Let's do this,~" she said happily.

 **:-:-:-:-:** **GAME MASTERS :-:-:-:-:**

Serena was sitting on top of a tall, grassy hill, staring at the beautiful nature around her. Brenda climbed up the hill and sat with her.

Serena lowered her head. "I'm sorry for running away. I knew it would have been rude to do so, but… I just couldn't help myself. I needed to be alone," she said.

"It's okay. Truth be told, I would've done the same thing in your shoes," Brenda responded.

Serena stood up and took a picture of the surroundings with the camera around her neck. "I was being selfish, running away like that. I promise it won't happen again." She then sat back down with Brenda. "It's just that, the first time I lost my memories, I felt…. refreshed. By exploring the world around me, I could not only enjoy myself but also regain my memories. I was happy with my life, despite my past being in shatters. Now, although I'm in a similar predicament, it just doesn't feel the same."

"Of course it doesn't," Brenda replied. "Before, your past was in shatters, but it could be repaired. The world you live in quite literally didn't change. Now, your past is a lie, which is much harder to cope with. You can't just repair that."

Serena nodded. "I know that I should just look ahead to the future, and leave the past behind. Let bygones be bygones, you know? But… I don't know where to start. I'm in a completely new world with nothing concrete I can attach myself to."

"That's fine," Brenda replied. "No matter where you are, when it is, what it is, know that I'll be there for you. I can and will help you start a new life."

Serena looked at her camera and smiled. "In all my weeks of exploring and meeting new people back in the game world of Lost Adventures, I've never met someone as nice as you. Thank you." Together, Serena and Brenda walked back to the car.

 **:-:-:-:-:** **GAME MASTERS :-:-:-:-:**

Finding Kai was a much more difficult task than finding the other three. In Cytrix City, there were no temples, no courtyards, no pogadas to be found. There were very few inspirations from the city that connected with his game, Ninja Kingdom. After a couple of searches, though, Brenda managed to locate Kai.

Brenda walked along the pathway of a park. The park was a minimalistic design composed of only trees and grass. Most of the trees' leaves had already fallen down, like small petals of a flower slowly descending to the Earth's surface. _If I was Kai, here was where I'd probably go._

Brenda spotted Kai practicing katana-fighting in the center of a cluster of trees. Armed with a katana in each hand, Kai closed his eyes and made several precise strikes in the air. When he was done, he returned to a position of rest.

Brenda leaned against a tree surrounding Kai. "Kai, are you okay? I know that what I told you had a profound effect, but….."

"I know what you're going to say, but I never planned on running away," Kai said.

Brenda gave a surprised look. "Not to be rude, but why did you leave the house then?"

Kai exhaled and turned around. "You told me that I fought a fire-breathing monster before I woke up in your car, right?"

Brenda nodded. Kai proceeded, "I know when a person is telling the truth. And as out-of-the-ordinary that seemed to me, I realized that what you said was the truth. But if I fought a monster like that, what's to say more won't come? I doubt that fight will be the last fight I ever partake in. If there's more coming, we need to be prepared. I need to sharpen my senses, refine my fighting skills. This will only be the calm before the storm."

Brenda nodded, not sure how to react. "So, does this mean you'll stay at my house?"

Kai nodded. "You've done several remarkable favors for me. You saved me when I was unconscious yesterday, you explained everything that transpired with full disclosure, and you provided impressive hospitality. It would be sacrilegious for me to not return the favor back to you. I know it is your wish for me to stay at your house, and I will gladly do so."

"Wow," Brenda responded in awe, incredibly flattered by Kai's statements. "Thank you."

"Now," Kai replied, putting his katanas away, "I believe you wish for me to join back with the others….."

 **:-:-:-:-:** **GAME MASTERS :-:-:-:-:**

For Brenda, it was a weird feeling to be sitting in a car with the four major video game protagonists in her backseat. It was almost a surreal feeling, the feeling of having something that couldn't be surpassed. That morning was a hassle, trying to convince Jacob, Phoebe, Serena and Kai to stay with her, but now she could feel her efforts paying off.

"Hey, Brenda," Jacob asked, "You said we fought some fire-breathing monsters, right? How exactly did we do that? I'm still not sure if I have this straight."

"Oh, right, I haven't really explained that part well," Brenda said. "I was driving back home yesterday when I came across you guys. There were fire-breathing monsters on the street." Brenda turned to them. "Oh yeah, I forgot to mention: I think I've seen those fire-breathing monsters before, from Field of Fire."

"Field of Fire…. that was the other game that NextNet Industries made," Kai commented.

Brenda nodded. "Yeah, I play Field of Fire competitively. But anyways, back to the point. You four transformed into, I guess, Power Rangers."

Phoebe's and Serena's eyes widened. Kai raised his eyebrow. Jacob beamed, exclaiming, "Power Rangers? Whoa, that's awesome! I remember watching Power Rangers when I was a kid. I thought it was just a work of fiction, but….. you're saying I transformed into one?"

Brenda nodded. "My memory of Power Rangers is hazy, as I didn't watch it too much as a kid. But one of the other bystanders claimed you guys looked like the Mystic Force Power Rangers. Jacob, you were the Red Ranger, Phoebe, you were the Pink Ranger, Serena, you were the Blue Ranger, and Kai, you were the Green Ranger."

"Well, the Red Ranger is usually the leader…. so that means I'm commandeering the team, right?" Jacob said jokingly.

Phoebe rolled her eyes and Kai sighed. Serena asked, "Well, how did we transform into Power Rangers?"

"It's… complicated," Brenda said. "I saw you guys put on some neon green drivers around your waist. Then you guys held up some game cartridges with your respective games on it. Each game cartridge had its respective Ranger color. You guys clicked some black buttons on the game cartridges, and then some game screens popped up behind you. Some items related to your games spawned around the road, as if the road was being transformed into those games. Then, you guys inserted the game cartridges into the drivers. You guys then, surely enough, transformed into Power Rangers."

"I'm sorry," Serena replied, "Can you repeat that again?"

"That description sounds familiar," Jacob murmured out loud. Then his face lit up. "Wait a minute! I think I know why that sounds familiar….." He turned to Brenda. "Do you have a tablet I can borrow?"

"Good thing tablets exist in your worlds," Brenda murmured, handing Jacob the tablet. Quickly, Jacob accessed YouTube and searched up "Kamen Rider Ex-Aid henshin" in the search bar.

"That sounds like another TV show. But what does 'henshin' mean?" Serena asked.

"Well, henshin means 'transform' in Japanese," Kai and Phoebe said simultaneously, much to their surprise.

"Right, Phoebe and Kai are both Japanese," Brenda explained. "Probably because NextNet Industries has a headquarters in Tokyo, Japan."

Jacob clicked on the most relevant video to his search. Then, he displayed the video to all five of them. "Watch the transformation sequence," Jacob told them.

[If you want to see the Kamen Rider Ex-Aid transformation for yourself, you can search it up on YouTube. Note, however, that there is no lever on their drivers in my story and no "Level Up!"'s in the Game Masters transformation sequence; there is only a Level 2 form for the GM Rangers.]

"Interesting," Phoebe replied. "But where would we get those drivers and cartridges? It's not on my person."

"Wait… Oh, that's right," Brenda said, "I assumed you guys kept them somewhere, I don't know what I was thinking. I have no idea how or when you guys obtained those drivers and cartridges, nor when they disappeared." She sighed as she drove the car around the city. "Looks like the mysteries aren't over for today."

Brenda took a right turn around a corner, and immediately after stepped on the brakes. "Oh, no, not again," she said out loud.

Once again, a fire-breathing monster NPC from Field of Fire was on the street, terrorizing anyone within a certain radius, spewing out balls of fire in an unpredictable fashion.

"Is this the monster you said we fought?" Kai asked.

Brenda nodded. Jacob opened the car door. "I have to stop the monster from terroriIng more people," Jacob responded.

"Wait, what? How? You guys don't even know how you transformed!" Brenda exclaimed incredulously.

"It doesn't matter. These people need saving, and I'm going to help any way I can, Ranger or not," Jacob replied, running out of the car.

"Jacob!" Brenda exclaimed, sighing afterwards. She turned her head to Phoebe, Serena, and Kai. "I guess we have no choice but to follow him."

The other three nodded in agreement, and left the car.

 **:-:-:-:-:** **GAME MASTERS :-:-:-:-:**

Jacob charged towards the monster, not stopping until he was within the range of the monster's attack radius.

The monster turned around to look at him, growling loudly and beating its chest. "You're not getting away with this," Jacob told the monster.

The monster howled loudly in response, evidently more infuriated.

"You're not doing this alone, Jacob," Phoebe replied. She, Serena, and Kai walked to Jacob, forming a horizontal line facing the monster. "We're in this together."

"Thanks, guys," Jacob replied, looking squarely at the monster. "Let's do this!"

Jacob instinctively raised his right hand straight up into the air. The neon green driver pixelated into being, appearing in Jacob's right hand. In Jacob's left hand, the red Formula Racing cartridge pixelated into his palm.

Brenda, who was standing in the back, widened her eyes. "How did you…..?"

"I don't know, either," Jacob replied.

"Well, let's try it," Phoebe replied. She, Serena and Kai raised their right hands straight up into the air. The neon green drivers appeared in their right hands, and their respective game cartridges appeared in their left hands.

Nodding to each other, they placed the neon green drivers around their waists. The drivers clicked onto their waists. Then, they each clicked the black button on their respective game cartridges.

 _FORMULA RACING!_

 _POP IDOL LIFE!_

 _LOST ADVENTURES!_

 _NINJA KINGDOM!_

Four game screens appeared behind Jacob, Phoebe, Serena and Kai, each displaying their respective games. Racing trophies, piano stands, camera tripods, and sparring dummies spawned onto the road, transforming the road into a game field.

"Power on," all four of them exclaimed, inserting the cartridges into their drivers.

 _GAME MASTER!_

Red, pink, blue, and green pixels began to surround Jacob, Phoebe, Serena, and Kai respectively. Brenda watched as the four of them transformed into Power Rangers. Once the transformation sequence ended, their drivers rang out:

 _Finishing at mach speeds! Formula Racing! Ranger Red!_

 _The worldwide sensation! Pop Idol Life! Ranger Pink!_

 _Exploring new frontiers! Lost Adventures! Ranger Blue!_

 _The land of swordmasters! Ninja Kingdom! Ranger Green!_

The four of them stood before the monster, their capes gliding in the wind. "Let's do this!" Jacob yelled.

The four of them summoned their weapons: _FORMULA SWORD! MELODY SWORD! ADVENTURE BLASTER! NINJA KATANAS!_ The monster angrily beat its chest once again, this time hurling large balls of fire straight toward them. Using their weapons, they were easily able to deflect the fire.

After that, it was a piece of cake. The four of them charged towards the monster, using their weapons to pin the monster down. Unwilling to go without a proper fight, the monster attempted to engulf his surroundings with fire, but it was of no use. The Rangers easily weakened the monster.

"Let's do the finishing move together," Serena said.

The four of them took their cartridges out and inserted them into the side compartment. Then, they clicked the gray button on the side compartment.

 _FINISHING ATTACK!_

The four of them crouched down, preparing to jump into the air.

 _FORMULA RACING CRTITICAL FINISH!_

 _POP IDOL LIFE CRITICAL FINISH!_

 _LOST ADVENTURES CRITICAL FINISH!_

 _NINJA KINGDOM CRITICAL FINISH!_

The four of them jumped into the air, and performed a kick. They descended downwards towards the monster in the kick formation, driving their kicks into the monster. A large explosion burst out, and the monster was no more.

 _GAME CLEAR!_

The four of them took their game cartridges out of their drivers, de-transforming back into their casual attire.

 _SHUTTING DOWN….._

"Well, that was fun," Phoebe remarked.

Serena smiled. "We saved the day. Together."

Brenda ran over to them. "Great job, guys! I don't know how you guys did it, but you pulled through!"

Jacob grinned. "I say that's a well-earned victory!" He then asked, "Oh yeah, one more thing. Every Power Rangers team has a name, right? What's ours?"

"I mean, the driver did say 'Game Master', so I say we stick with that," Kai responded in apathy.

"Alright! Power Rangers: Game Masters!" Jacob grinned. "I like it."

"Me too," Phoeeb said, smiling. "It has a nice ring to it.

"Definitely," Serena agreed. "So what do we do now?"

"How about we head back to my house?" Brenda asked. "I don't think I properly introduced you guys to my house. You guys should get settled in."

"Yeah, I guess I could use a break," Phoebe said, yawning in the process. The five of them walked back to the car in good spirits.

 **:-:-:-:-:** **GAME MASTERS :-:-:-:-:**

"There's been an awakening," someone said.

The humanoid figure that just spoke is shown walking around in a dark abandoned warehouse, thinking about something. "It looks like the games are about to begin." The humanoid figure walks into the light, and is shown to be donning a black cloak and a black visor around his head. Across his black cloak is a green stripe. He has a gray driver with a black cartridge in it. Upon closer look, one could see the text on the cartridge: _PROTO NINJA KINGDOM_.

"Wow, finally," someone else said sarcastically. That person comes into the light, and is shown to also be donning a black cloak and a black visor, except with a blue stripe across her cloak. She also has a gray driver with a black cartridge in it. Upon closer look, one could see the text on the cartridge: _PROTO LOST ADVENTURES_.

"This will be our test," another one said. That person comes into the light, and is wearing similar clothes to the other two, except with a pink stripe across the cloak. The person is equipped with a gray driver and a black cartridge, and on the cartridge says _PROTO POP IDOL LIFE._

"A test? No, it's not a test. It's just a game," the last one said, looking at his video game portable. That person comes into the light and is once again wearing similar clothes, except with a red stripe across the cloak. The person is equipped with the same colored driver and cartridge, with the cartridge's text saying _PROTO FORMULA RACING._

All four of them are shown standing in the abandoned warehouse, with the exception of the one with the red stripe who is sitting down and playing video games on his portable device. "Games are what make society work. They create goals and dreams for the future, and motivate society to become something greater. Everything can, at its core, be boiled down to a game," the one with the red stripe said.

The one with the green stripe ignored him. "This is our first meeting among fellow Breachers," he said. "Before we get to business, I'd like to address our need for identification among ourselves. Our human identities are supposed to remain confidential, even among fellow Breachers, and it is important we are capable of addressing each other by names."

The one with the pink stripe spoke. "I think it would be optimal just to address each other by the cartridge names. For example, you would address me as Proto Pop Idol Life." He pointed to the one with the green stripe. "I would address you as Proto Ninja Kingdom."

The one with the green stripe, Proto Ninja Kingdom, nodded. "That seems like a systematic way of communicating in affairs. Now, back to our plan.

It's been exactly 24 hours since we entered Earth and left NextNet World. Due to our status as video game characters, we needed to find humans to assume the identity of, so I hope that each of you have found who your human form will be."

The other three nodded, including the one with the red stripe playing video games. The one with the green stripe, Proto Ninja Kingdom, continued. "Now, it is important our human identities remain confidential, even among allies. This is to ensure secrecy so that in the event one of us is at a disadvantageous state and is being questioned by the Rangers, we won't be capable of providing satisfactory answers to them."

"Yeah, yeah, we know all this already," the one with the blue stripe, Proto Lost Adventures, responded. "I know we're assuming the identities of high schoolers, but sheesh, you're acting like we're elementary school students with all that obvious exposition."

The one with the green stripe, Proto Ninja Kingdom, ignored her. "As we're united under the Breachers, it's important we have constant communication to avoid mishaps. Right now, our first priority is collecting data from the Rangers. We need to analyze their movements and responses to obtain information useful for future plans."

The one with the pink stripe, Proto Pop Idol Life, asked, "Who came up with this plan? If I made this plan, I'd say psychological manipulation is by far and away the better option."

The one with the green stripe, Proto Ninja Kingdom, responded, "The Leader."

The one with the pink stripe, Proto Pop Idol Life, nodded in understanding.

The one with the green stripe, Proto Ninja Kingdom, addressed all of them, saying, "Remember, our target is the Rangers. If my calculations are correct, they'll be attending eSports High School, so I expect that you three will be joining me in infiltrating the school."

The other three nodded. The four Breachers separated, leaving the warehouse in separate directions.

 **:-:-:-:-:** **GAME MASTERS :-:-:-:-:**

"So, this is the mansion," Brenda told the other four.

The other four gazed in awe. The mansion was sleek and stylish, embodying a futuristic theme in every room, hall, and staircase. The mansion was gigantic and filled with televisions, computers, video game consoles and devices, and smart devices. "Where did you get all this?" Jacob asked Brenda.

Brenda blushed. "My parents are co-founders of a high-tech company. They gave it to me for free. Anyways, let me show you upstairs."

Brenda showed them around. On the second floor, there was five study rooms, two bedrooms, a massive gaming room, and an elaborate restroom. "I've already asked my parents, and they've agreed to house you guys for now. Each of you will get your own study room. Phoebe, Serena and I will sleep in one bedroom, and Jacob and Kai will sleep in the other. The gaming room is where you can go to enter the NextNet World."

After Brenda was done showing them around, the five of them formed a circle. "It's getting late, but before we go to sleep, I'd like to do one last celebration to our first victory," Jacob said.

He put his right hand in the center of the circle. Brenda, Serena, Phoebe and Kai followed suit, all putting their right hands in the center of the circle.

"3...2...1… Game Masters!" They all exclaimed, raising their hands up.

 **:-:-:-:-:** **GAME MASTERS :-:-:-:-:**

 **So that's Part 4, the final part of Episode 1, "Game Start". What did you guys think of the episode? What is your first impression upon meeting the Breachers for the first time? What is the Breachers' plan? Leave your thoughts and feedback in a review, and I'll be sure to check it out.**


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